Image Credit: DriveBC

By Victor Kaisar

Highway 5 Flooding

UPDATE: Highway 5 north of Blue River reopens with single lane alternating traffic

Jun 1, 2025 | 1:42 PM

BLUE RIVER, B.C. — (UPDATE 7:30 p.m.): Highway 5 in the North Thompson has reopened with a single lane of alternating traffic, nearly 24 hours after it was closed because of flooding.

In an update just after 7:15 p.m. Sunday (June 1), DriveBC said traffic was flowing past the Chappell Creek Recreation Site, located 30 km north of Blue River.

The highway had been closed since about 8:15 p.m. Saturday (May 31). Drivers are being told to expect delays and to watch for traffic control measures on site.

The next update is expected at 10:00 a.m. Monday (June 2), and you can find the latest information from DriveBC here.

In a statement to CFJC Today, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit said heavy rain combined with seasonal run-off caused both Chappell Creek and Allen Creek to overflow, which caused some damage on Highway 5.

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A third location at Lempriere saw mud and debris come onto the road, the Ministry said.

“The Ministry of Transportation and Transit and its maintenance contractor are working to clear debris and assess the damage,” the statement said. “Heavy equipment is on site, and additional crews and machinery have been brought in from outside the area.”

The Ministry added repairs to the highway will begin as soon as it is safe to do so.

Earlier Sunday, a DriveBC spokesperson also told CFJC Today that heavy rain Saturday triggered a “combination of factors” that led to the issues on the highway.

“Several culverts needed to be cleared, and a high-running stream was redirected to the highway due to a logjam further upstream,” the DriveBC statement said. “An excavator is currently in search of the jam.”

A picture shared on Facebook showed a large chunk of the shoulder and a section of the driving lane of the highway had washed away. It’s not immediately clear where exactly that washout was located.

Image Credit: Mel Purdy/Facebook